by D. J. McCune
‘Just as well,’ Auntie Jo said. ‘It would blow their minds.’
Adam nodded in silent agreement. The Tapestry of Light was beautiful and extraordinary and he would never forget seeing it. But equally he couldn’t forget the long, cruel tip of the Mortal Knife dancing over the brightly coloured threads. Knowing that his own life – and the lives of everyone he loved – were at the mercy of someone like Morta was a disconcerting thought.
Nathanial nodded. ‘It’s just part of the responsibility we bear.’
‘What was Morta going on about at the end?’ Chloe asked innocently. ‘She sounded like she was having a go at the Concilium. All that stuff about her souls and doing their jobs.’
Nathanial frowned. ‘Nothing for you to worry about. She was merely reminding us all of our responsibilities.’ He fell silent and Adam felt a twinge of guilt. His father would never in a million years suspect that Adam was the rogue Luman. He could hardly believe that Adam had guided the soul of the dead bomber into his Light alone but he had put that down to youthful over-enthusiasm; that Adam had something to prove because he was generally so inept at all things Luman-related. It helped that Nathanial had no idea how many people should have died that day – but of course Morta did. No wonder she was so furious at being cheated.
‘Can I have a sandwich?’ Auntie Jo said, eyeing the table hopefully.
‘In a minute,’ Nathanial said, jolted from his thoughts back to the present. ‘So, to happier topics. I know none of us expected to see the Concilium again quite so soon but it did give me a welcome opportunity to discuss something with Heinrich. And I’m very pleased to tell you that he is in agreement – it’s time for Aron to come of age and be Marked!’
There was a gasp of delight from Elise and Auntie Jo. Aron leapt to his feet and punched the air. ‘Yessssss!’ he hissed, grinning at Luc. ‘Told you I’d get there before you.’
Luc shrugged. ‘Of course you did. You’re older than me. Not exactly a surprise.’ He slouched back in his chair, feigning nonchalance but his usual smirk was more of a grimace. That was the funny thing about Luc. He pretended to be casual about everything but beneath the cool exterior there was a steely – and surprising – ambition. Aron might assume he would be the next High Luman because he was the eldest son – but Adam had a feeling Luc would give him a run for his money.
Elise was on her feet embracing Aron, kissing him on both cheeks. She was proud of her steady eldest son. He might not have Luc’s quicksilver charm but he worked hard and was stoic about the demands of being a Luman. Nathanial popped the champagne open and passed round crystal flutes. Auntie Jo made a beeline for the sandwiches.
Adam found himself face to face with Aron and held out his hand. ‘Congratulations.’
Aron nodded and shook his hand. ‘Cheers.’ He hesitated. ‘You’ll get your turn.’
‘Eventually,’ Luc said, waving his glass around. ‘You know, when you’re about forty and you’ve stopped throwing up every time you guide a soul.’
Adam scowled at Luc and grabbed a piece of cake. ‘Yeah, rub it in why don’t you.’
Auntie Jo clipped Luc around the ear and ignored his yelp. ‘So when is the big day?’
‘Well, obviously we need to confirm things with the Lady Fates. We’d like as many Lumen as possible to be able to attend. There’ll be a lot to organise but we’re hoping in just a few weeks.’
‘Zut alors!’ Elise said, clutching her hand to her heart. ‘So many things to do! The ballroom must be decorated, the linens must be washed. Candles! We must order candles!’ She wobbled slightly, torn between the agonies and ecstasies of organising such an event. Adam grinned. This was his mother’s dream come true – the chance to prove she was the perfect Luman wife. After all, while women couldn’t guide souls their only chance to shine was as hostesses.
‘Will Uncle Paddy’s family be coming?’ Chloe asked, looking intently at the ground.
Luc grinned. ‘Will Ciaron be coming, more like. Ouch!’ He glared at Auntie Jo, who had administered another stinging swipe to his ear. ‘Stop hitting me woman!’
‘Stop winding people up,’ she mumbled through a mouthful of cake.
Nathanial smiled at Chloe. ‘To answer your question, yes of course Patrick will be coming – as will the whole family.’
‘But so will many other Lumen families,’ Elise interjected, frowning slightly. ‘We must have some dresses made!’
Adam grinned. Nathanial would be delighted if Chloe married Ciaron, the eldest son of Uncle Paddy, High Luman of Ireland – but his mother had much higher aspirations for her only daughter.
Nathanial raised his glass. ‘Well, it’s nice to end the day on such a happy note.’ He nodded at Aron. ‘It’s not every day you find out that your eldest son will become a man. To Aron. Our Light is his Light.’
‘To Aron,’ Adam said in time with the others. There was something oddly touching about the moment. His family didn’t often get the chance to be all together and celebrate. They were usually getting called off to deal with deaths.
As if on cue there was a collective groan as death senses flared. Nathanial sighed and closed his eyes. ‘It’s a car crash. A few victims by the feel of things.’ He clasped his eldest son’s shoulder. ‘Shall we?’
Aron nodded. ‘Yes Father.’ He put down his glass and gave the others an awkward nod. ‘Thanks for the party.’
Adam watched them leave the room together and just for once felt a twinge of envy.
Up in his room after dinner Adam tried to bury himself in his chemistry homework but he couldn’t concentrate. He was supposed to balancing valencies but the letters and numbers seemed to be hopping around the page, mocking his attempts to tame them. He scowled and flung his pencil down on the desk. Normally he liked this kind of thing because in the end you could master it. Equations could be pinned down neatly, unlike all the other thoughts in his head. Not tonight though.
He mooched down to the kitchen and poured a glass of juice. The house was quiet. Elise had swept Chloe off to her personal dressmaker as soon as dinner was over. Nathanial and Aron were in the study, probably swotting for the Marking ceremony and Luc had gone out with a shifty look on his face. Only Auntie Jo was in the den, laptop balanced on her knee while she watched Hitchhiker Horror 4.
She glanced up as Adam came in and nodded at the screen. ‘Look at her. She’s driving along a road in the desert and she sees that guy with his thumb in the air. His eyes are looking in four directions at once, he’s got a dripping holdall and he’s barely got a tooth in his head – and she stops and picks him up. Who does that?’ She shook her head ruefully at the folly of horror-movie heroines.
Adam sat down on the other end of the sofa and tried to smile but his face didn’t seem to be working properly. Auntie Jo noticed of course. ‘What’s wrong with you?’
Adam shrugged. ‘Dunno,’ he said honestly. ‘Can’t be bothered with homework tonight.’
She snorted. ‘I suppose I’ll go ahead and state the obvious. You won’t thank me for it but I’ll say it anyway. If you give up school you won’t have to bother with homework ever again.’
Adam scowled. ‘I said I can’t be bothered tonight. I’ll do it in the morning.’
‘I see.’ Auntie Jo paused and said casually, ‘So that’s exciting news about Aron.’
Adam nodded. ‘Yeah, it is.’ The thing was, he meant it. He didn’t get on that well with Aron – they were just too different – but he knew his brother was a good Luman. He wasn’t inspired at saying the right thing the way some Lumen were, but like Nathanial, he was steady and reassuring. Someone like Aron would send you into the afterlife full of warm certainty that everything was going to be OK. When Adam guided souls he was pretty sure they threw themselves into their Lights just to escape from him.
‘It’ll be your turn some day,’ Auntie Jo continued, pretending to look at something on her laptop.
Adam rolled his eyes. ‘Yeah, I don’t think I’ll be coming of age any time
soon.’ He paused. ‘So what will actually happen? You know, at the ceremony?’
‘Don’t you remember?’ Auntie Jo grinned. ‘I suppose you were still a sprat the last time we went to a Marking. Well, if your mother has her way most of the Luman world will be there – or at least all the important families. We’ll be downstairs in the Oath Chamber and the Crone will Mark Aron.’
‘The Crone … ’ Adam began, then broke off. He had been to plenty of balls but only one Marking when he was younger. He had a vague memory of a veiled and shadowy figure. ‘Is she the one in the cloak?’
Auntie Jo nodded. ‘Tradition says we should never see her face. It’s supposed to stop people lobbying her for secret Markings to get round the Concilium and the Fates. Just another way of keeping the same families top dog. After all, any Luman could get their son Marked then – and once they’ve come of age what would stop them from having a crack at becoming High Luman?’
Adam frowned. He’d never really thought about it before. Some of the other British Lumen were older than his father – but Nathanial had still been made High Luman. And some of the other Lumen’s sons were older than Aron – but he was the first in his generation to come of age. ‘But that’s not fair!’
Auntie Jo raised an eyebrow. ‘Since when has fairness had anything to do with who’s in charge? It’s just the way things have always been done. The High Luman is supposed to be picked from the whole Luman ranks – but the reality is that most High Lumen are fast-response Lumen. It was just luck that long ago the Mortsons specialised and left the other British Lumen families to guide the sick and elderly when they died quietly in their beds. And we’ve managed to keep things that way quite nicely ever since.’
‘But what if those other Lumen are really good?’ Adam persisted. After all, he was rubbish at the whole thing. Every Luman who had ever lived would be better than him! He couldn’t quite bring himself to say it.
‘It doesn’t matter. Blood and tradition are everything.’ Auntie Jo sounded weary – and bitter. ‘It doesn’t matter how totally unsuited someone is to being High Luman. If that’s their fate, then that’s their fate.’
Adam looked at her curiously. ‘Yeah, but Father is a good High Luman.’
‘I wasn’t talking about your father,’ Auntie Jo snapped. She sighed. ‘Don’t listen to me. I’m tired. All that talk at dinner about what we have to do for the ball. I’m exhausted even thinking about it!’ She pulled at the silver locket round her neck, moving it from side to side the way she did when she was upset. ‘Now, are you going to watch this with me or shall I just tell you tomorrow’s horoscope and get it over with?’
Adam raised an eyebrow. ‘Like there’s any way of stopping you!’
Auntie Jo grinned and put on her horoscope voice. ‘We all want to know what the stars reveal, Adam. What the future holds.’
Adam tried to smile – but when he thought about Morta and that knife he wasn’t so sure that he did want to know the future after all …
Chapter 9
The next day Adam arrived at school with mixed feelings. On the one hand he was looking forward to seeing Melissa, especially if she was going to kiss him again. On the other hand Michael Bulber would be thirsting for revenge, which could only mean bad things for Adam.
Worse still, he was going to have to eat humble pie with Spike and the others. He knew he’d been out of order but the problem was he kind of meant what he’d said. Spike was always snooping about and sometimes it did annoy Adam. Still, Spike did have a point. Without his help Melissa would probably never have spoken to Adam again. Usually Spike was on his side but this time they were on opposing teams. It was just that Spike didn’t know it.
In registration Adam at least got a proper smile from Melissa, which seemed like a good omen for the day. He sat surreptitiously finishing his chemistry homework while listening to their form tutor’s latest rant. This one was on poor punctuality being to blame for most of the world’s evils, including underfunding of the space mission. Adam felt a new pity for his form tutor, not knowing he was a thwarted astronaut turned teacher. Maybe that was why The Bulb had given him a job. After all, he was a former wrestler turned head teacher. Rumour had it that he’d paralysed an opponent in a dirty fight, hence his fall from wrestling grace.
Eager to share this new titbit with his friends he scuttled off to the library as soon as the bell for break rang. Spike was the only one there which made the whole apology thing easier, at least until he opened his mouth. ‘Didn’t think you’d want to sit with a snooper like me. Why don’t you go off and hang out with your girlfriend?’
Adam sighed. ‘Don’t be like that. I was out of order yesterday.’
Spike was focusing intently on his laptop. ‘Yeah, you were.’
It was clear he wanted more. Adam gritted his teeth. ‘Look, I was a nob, OK? I was just stressing. I know that’s hard for you to understand because you never seem to get stressed about anything but us lesser mortals worry about stuff.’
‘Yeah, you were definitely a nob,’ Spike said but he looked slightly mollified. ‘And getting stressed doesn’t do anything so why bother?’
Adam sat down. ‘So did you get any further with the picture?’
Spike shook his head. ‘Nah, still need to catch my CIA guy. The time difference is a pain. He’ll be getting up soon though. I’ve tracked him to the Midwest somewhere so he’s six or seven hours behind – but he’s an early riser. He reckons he can sleep with one eye open.’
Adam snorted. He could imagine this contact all too vividly, some loony living in an underground bunker with assault weapons on the wall and booby traps under every stone, imagining it would keep him safe; not knowing Morta could simply flick the tip of her knife and he would fall down the stairs or choke to death on a piece of steak. He was Spike’s kind of guy all right … He was saved from having to say anything more by Archie and Dan arriving. Dan bounced an almond off his head by way of greeting.
‘So you’re still alive,’ Archie said. ‘Heard you had a run-in with the Beast. You like living on the edge, don’t you? Maybe you’d be better not having a girlfriend if it’s going to get you killed.’ He looked a little pleased. It was obvious he hadn’t forgiven Adam either.
Adam grimaced. ‘Yeah, you’re probably right.’
Dan sat down and gnawed an almond, squirrelly with nervous energy. ‘He’ll never let you have her! The great white is unstoppable.’ He shook his head, looking gloomy. ‘It’s unfortunate but maybe you need to find a new hunting ground. There’s only room for one apex predator!’
Adam blinked. Clearly Dan had spent more time on his biology homework than Adam had. ‘She doesn’t even like him. I mean she definitely doesn’t fancy him but she doesn’t even like him. She thinks he’s a tit.’
Archie smirked. ‘Yeah, she seems to have a thing for tits.’
Adam counted to ten in his head, reminding himself that he probably deserved it. ‘I don’t even think he does like her, not really. He just wants her because he can’t have her and there’s nobody he likes more.’
Dan rolled an almond between his fingers, looking thoughtful. ‘It’s a pity there isn’t someone else he likes. Someone really amazing.’ He glanced up and added quickly, ‘You know, because Melissa is a fantastic fish but maybe he just needs an even better fish. One he can really show off to everyone.’
Archie was looking interested now in spite of himself. ‘The ultimate fish. The stuff of legends.’
Dan nodded. ‘Exactly. Like those stories you see on the news because someone’s caught this gigantic fish people said didn’t exist. Like the Loch Ness Monster. And then a beardy guy catches a megafish and it takes ten men to get it out of the water. And then they stuff it and put it on a pub wall and it’s bigger than a boat.’ He stopped and looked sheepish. ‘My dad made me watch a documentary about the Crestwick Carp.’
‘Another fun-filled evening with the Dark Lord,’ Spike muttered.
Dan was warming to his theme. ‘So
what we need is bait. A fish so hot that it makes Melissa look ugly. Like putting a nice little goldfish beside … a barracuda!’
‘Eels are pretty ugly,’ Archie said helpfully. ‘My uncle used to drag me along eel fishing in Norfolk.’ He shuddered at the memory.
‘The blobfish is officially the world’s ugliest fish,’ Spike added, turning the laptop so they could recoil from a close-up of a gelatinous bottom-dwelling mutant.
‘OK, yes, I get the point, ugly fish!’ Adam said, feeling desperate. He was afraid he might actually go mad if they didn’t stop talking about fish. ‘So, who’s going to be the good fish? The bait.’
There was a long silence. ‘Hmmmm,’ Dan said. ‘And therein lies the problem. Not only do we have to find this hot fish but we also have to convince her to swim into the Beast’s jaws. And she’d have to be a bit thick to do that.’
‘Unless she wasn’t real.’ Spike glanced up at their startled faces and raised an eyebrow. ‘Come on, we invented a fake sensei, a fake wrestling tournament and a whole new imaginary martial art. How hard can it be to invent an imaginary fish? Or girl for that matter.’
‘I could make her!’ Archie leered around the table. ‘Seriously, I’d be brilliant. You have no idea how much thought I’ve given this.’ He pulled out his sketchpad and his pen flew furiously over the pages. ‘Lips … like this. Hair … like this … And of course the rest … ’
There was a long pause as they contemplated the bizarre top-heavy image before them. It looked like some kind of alien with enormous breasts. Dan squinted at the picture. ‘I don’t think even the Beast is weird enough to find that attractive.’
Archie frowned. ‘Whatever. I can tone it down a bit. We have a programme in the art room that can convert drawings to photo images.’
‘So how’s she going to know about the Beast?’ Adam loved the idea of distracting his nemesis from Melissa but unfortunately Michael Bulber wasn’t quite as stupid as his father.
